"I'm not a military expert and don't pretend to be one, unlike tom tancredo."
Well I do know a thing or two about warfare. It's really simple. If we get nuked, that is irrevokable proof that we need to drastically change our strategy. There are two fundmental options in that case:
1. Capitulate
2. Get tough
If we capitulate, our nation will fade into obscurity, and the world would enter another dark age.
If we get tough, and I mean it would take a lot more than simply nuking Mecca, then what is left of the US could actually rise to greater heights than before the nuclear attack, assuming half of our land is still habitable. We would have to gain supremacy of all Persian Gulf oil [which means killing any living Islamic near those oil fields, and a naval blockade over the Persian Gulf to regulate trade]
in order to do that. Europe's economy would be completely at our mercy at that point. We could give US refineries top priority, while European countries would have to haggle for what's left over.
Through other means, we would have tremendous options to keep the US strong.
I don't want this to happen. It would be a hellish nightmare. But that is the kind of thinking required to prevent a new dark age.
No duh, and I have no doubts that our current military would get tough, that still doesn't give any excuse for a congressman to give our enemies propaganda points.
I'll leave the fighting to our brave and professional servicemen and women, not a congressman looking for publicity.